METHODS OF CASTING A SALMON FLY 327 



as above described, and the turning movement is again 

 accomplished and the forward cast made. 



CURVED CASTS 



If the rod, and line attached to it, be held upright and its 

 upper end by a continuous action moved round in a circle 

 horizontally above the head, the line will follow the action 

 of the point of the rod, and circle round in a continuous loop. 

 The greater the force applied, the longer will be the line which 

 can be made to follow the point of the rod, but directly a 

 new movement of the rod is made the line will at once 

 leave the circular curve in which it has been travelling, and 

 will follow the direction which the point of the rod has taken. 

 There must however, be no pause in the motion of the rod, 

 the curved action must always be made in a steady swing, 

 which is merged into a direct cast, towards the spot at 

 which the line has to fall, and to which the body should be 

 turned. If it be necessary or desirable to make any back 

 cast in a circular manner, the circling backward movement 

 should not be continued beyond the plane in which the 

 forward cast has to be made, i.e., directly the rod in its 

 backward circling movement has arrived at a point immedi- 

 ately in a line with the desired direction, the movement, 

 without its speed being checked, should be altered into the 

 forward overhead cast in the desired direction. In the 

 variation of the Wye cast mentioned on p. 337, diagram 22, 

 such a horizontal sweep is made in the back cast, as the fly 

 is lifted from the water. The principle by which this move- 

 ment is affected is of the greatest value in making the loop, 

 the switch, the Spey, or any curved casts. If the reader 

 will turn to Chapter X. he will find these three casts 

 exhaustively dealt with as regards the single handed trout 

 rod, but containing theoretically all the principles which he 

 will have to adopt when making these casts with the salmon 



